Starting February 3, 2025, the Bali Provincial Government will ban the use of plastic water bottles. However, this regulation will not apply to everyone immediately. The initial phase will target students in local schools and government officials, who will be required to switch to reusable water containers.
The initiative is legislated under Circular Letter (SE) No. 2 of 2025, implementing Governor Regulation No. 97 of 2018 on reducing single-use plastic waste.
Bali’s Regional Secretary, Dewa Made Indra, announced that suppliers of goods and services are now prohibited from providing drinking water and food in plastic packaging at government offices and official events, such as meetings and receptions. All employees must use personal stainless steel or BPA-free plastic water bottles.
Indra emphasized that this policy will also be implemented in schools to teach children and teenagers the importance of reducing plastic waste. He urged school principals and teachers to set an example for students and encourage the habit of using reusable bottles to minimize plastic waste on school grounds.
The anti-plastic initiative was introduced by Bali Governor Wayan Koster seven years ago. After winning the elections, he intensified efforts in this area. Circular Letter No. 2 of 2025 includes the following key points:
• All regional apparatus, regional enterprises of the Bali Provincial Government, and schools are prohibited from supplying drinking water and food in plastic packaging, both in the workplace and during meetings, events, or other official occasions.
• Bali Provincial Government employees are required to bring their own bottles (or drinking glasses) to meet their hydration needs during work or official events. The use of stainless steel bottles is highly recommended, but BPA-free plastic bottles are also acceptable.
This is not the first attempt by Balinese authorities to reduce plastic consumption. In 2019, headlines declared, “Plastic bags and straws are no longer allowed on Bali,” and “The Island of the Gods bans plastic.” Governor Koster expressed hope that the measure would reduce marine plastic waste by 70% within a year. The initiative targeted manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, businesses, and individuals, urging them to replace plastic with alternative materials. Violators risked sanctions, such as non-renewal of licenses.
Major retailers like Pepito switched to alternative packaging materials at the time. However, little has changed overall, and Bali continues to generate hundreds of tons of plastic waste.
The heavy rainy season this year has worsened the issue, with oceans dumping thick layers of trash onto popular beaches. Activists across the island are organizing cleanup drives.
It is difficult to trace the origins of plastic waste on Bali’s beaches, but The Jakarta Post reports that about 80% originates from the island itself. Trash from hotels and villages often ends up in rivers, eventually flowing into the ocean and washing ashore due to tides.
Bali’s need to abandon plastic is also driven by its waste management issues. The island’s main landfill has been overcapacity for years, with frequent fires breaking out. Closing it remains unfeasible due to a lack of alternatives. Although Chinese investors pledged funding for a waste processing plant, no timeline for its construction has been announced yet.
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